On 10th August 2024, KE Founders’ Fiesta took us through the journey of Mr. Charles Gomes and his venture in the pharmaceutical industry. The early morning breakfast, followed by the session with Charles, saw the on-time attendance of excited KE members especially for his characteristic humour and candor. Charles was part of the founding committee at KE, and the insights on handling business and social work were key takeaways from the session.

This edition of Founders’ Fiesta emphasized skills and dedication with the story of Charles, who went from being a student at a Kannada medium school to now running two companies: CAD Pharma, a company specializing in connecting pharmaceutical clients with sources of chemicals and pharmaceutical raw materials, and Lint Pharmaceuticals, a company that sells its own brand of prescription and non-prescription medicines.

The narrative took us through the common challenges faced growing up in a poor household in a small town in Udupi and the unexpected journey into Chemistry, along with small life lessons learned along the way. Charles gave us an insight into completely different dreams that he had in his early days and how he got into an industry he did not initially intend to. The key message was to stay focused on one’s goals while enjoying what life had to offer. The journey also showcased the benefits of developing multiple skill sets in various sectors of a company, which can make you an all-rounder.

The story also covered the switch to starting one’s own business. It was elevated by showcasing the various organizations and social activities that Charles was involved in and the takeaways from each of those that helped him learn more in his professional career. An insight into the early days of KE was also a nice takeaway.

Overall, the most important highlight was the pure belief in a goal while giving your 100% to work towards it; things will fall into place with trust. This was illustrated with examples of how, in two instances, Charles had a dream in mind, and his work and effort ensured that these dreams turned into reality with opportunities that came his way.

The audience was genuinely enthralled by the amount of social and entrepreneurial work done side by side, and they received valuable advice from Mrs. Anitha Gomes on handling a young family during such hectic times in business. Key questions answered also included how the pharmaceutical industry works, the challenges faced in this stringent industry, and recent pharmaceutical-related news.

Founders’ Fiesta once again demonstrated how people from different industries can gain valuable insights from the journey of someone in a completely different field. The audience really enjoyed the fresh morning session, which included a wonderful breakfast and networking opportunities, all centered around the key takeaways from Charles Gomes’s session.